Astrópía

Not expecting much of anything when going to the cinema to watch the film Astropia, or Dorks & Damsels, I truly thought I was going to see some kind of a dorky female Schwarzenegger action hero. I was more than slightly overwhelmed by the imagination of the writers. How the world of reality is overtaken by the fantasy of role playing games works quite well. The film is low budget and stands no comparison to Hollywood action films, so don't expect any high-tech computerised scenes. But the love of the actors for this film is obvious, it shines through and that made me happy watching the film. The filmmakers do an excellent job and so do all the actors. Just go see it and have an enjoyable time.

This is a comedy played for laughs and all you can ask of it is that it is consistently funny and it is exactly that and not very much more. Although it has some fantasy scenes that are well executed, they are taking part in the imagination of the characters and I wanted to see what was really going on as well, but perhaps the film makers knew that this would beggar belief in the outcome of the plot. Ultimately it doesn't matter because the jokes about real people speaking in fantasy parlance and fantasy characters speaking like real people is still very funny as is the concept of educating a superficial bimbo in the ways of "the force" (nerdism). This is the kind of film that I hope Hollywood picks up to be remade with some stars and a more refined script, hopefully making the Icelanders a fortune.

I just came home from the cinema after watching this movie, and I'm absolutely in love with it.

Normally, when seeing an Icelandic film, you have to keep in mind that we're a small country with a small film budget, but Astrópía is one movie that has nothing to fear when being compared with big countries. In fact, I am proud to say that it was my country who came up with the idea for this wonderful film.

The story is about Hildur, a blond bimbo, who needs to get a job for the first time in her life after her boyfriend has been arrested. She gets a job at a geek shop called Astrópía, and slowly learns the way of the geek and how to survive a battle against orcs and ice witches. Through her friendship with her fellow role players (or party members), she grows into a stronger and more independent person.

This movie will leave you rolling on the floor with laughter without being degrading towards us geeks. In fact, the moral of the story is that geeks rule! At least that's what I think. But even non-geeks can enjoy it a lot, and get a glimpse into our silly little world.

The outdoor scenes are beautifully shot. Iceland simply is a perfect place for fantasy adventures with its mountains and waterfalls. The dialogue is well written and realistic and the characters are just adorable. It has wonderful humour, interesting action scenes and will make you love geeks, if you don't already.

Seriously, this is one of the best films I've seen this year and it deserves every single star I've given it.

I saw this at FantasticFest 2008. Great LARP'er story, will appeal widely to nerds & geeks of all levels. The movie has the style and pacing of a comic book, even transitions done in panels, which don't feel gimmicky. Much like "Revenge of the Nerds" this film does the "hot model falls in love with a dork" plot, but without coming across as cheesy. Also reminded me of "Clerks" set in a comic store, in Sweden, but it could have been made in the US as far as the story goes (apparently RPG'ers share a common bond the world over). Clever effects and editing, great characters & actors, had me hooked on the first day of the festival. Another film I watched more than once, and holds up well with repeated viewings. Deserves a wide US release.. catch it if you can!

Just saw this film on the Horror and Fantasy Festival in Haapsalu, Estonia. This is a remarkably warm, funny and well executed film and Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir does very good work in her feature film debut as the brainless bimbo, who suddenly faces the need to earn her own living and gets a job as a salesgirl in nerd universe. It's beautifully shot and edited; the actors are very likable and the storyline is interesting and fresh. The film is funny without overly trying to be so and sweet without being cute. This is fun for both adults and children. Heartily recommended. Congratulations to everyone involved.